EA Bulletin: 391 Wales

We have published our annual report on electoral registration in Great Britain, which looks at key trends around the annual canvass and registration.

In the five years since changes to the canvass process, there are still challenges to address.  These include picking up ongoing population movement and issues with registering particular groups. Our latest research shows that  as many as 400,000 people in Wales are still missing from the register/incorrectly registered.  

Despite efforts to boost registration amongst 16- and 17-year-olds following the franchise change in 2020, registration amongst this group has decreased by 9.3% from 2023 to 2024, falling below 2021 levels. Our data suggests that around two in five 16- and 17-year-olds in Wales are registered.

This situation is unlikely to improve significantly without major changes to the current electoral registration system.  New approaches are needed to ensure that everyone can register easily and participate in our democracy, and we are pleased to see the Welsh Government continue to explore how automatic voter registration could help more people to engage with Senedd and local government elections in Wales. As you know, the Commission will publish an evaluation of the ongoing automatic voter registration pilots at the end of this year. 

Welcome to your vote week 2025 was our fifth annual awareness raising week. We’d like to thank everyone who took part and supported young people to ‘get informed and get involved’. 

Here's what happened in 2025

Engagement

• 590,000+ young people*
• 4,830 educators and partners*
• 460 organisation and individuals signed up
• 2,290+ engagements on social media
• 38 elected representatives supported the week

*Projected reach from survey responses, partner feedback and school engagement.

After taking part in the week:

• 85% said their young people had more knowledge about democracy*
• 76% said their young people were more confident to engage in democracy*
• 70% said their young people were more likely to register to vote*

*Percentage of survey respondents.

Partner activity

• The Dismiss campaign, delivered by Ofcom and Shout Out UK reached over 1.7 million people.
• The Politics Project delivered training to 81 teachers and youth practitioners. 89% of participants felt more confident delivering democratic education and 96% would recommend the workshop to colleagues.

Resource downloads

• 2,000+ downloads of welcome to your vote week resources
• 850+ downloads of our new mis-and disinformation resources, created in partnership with Shout Out UK.

Join in next year  

Welcome to your vote week 2026 will take place from 9 – 15 March. 

To stay up to date, sign up for our education newsletter.

If you have any questions or want to get in touch with us, please contact [email protected] 

Earlier this year we asked for your views on the Electoral Commission’s role and future as we created our new vision and values. These were published for the first time in our 2025/26 – 2029/30 Corporate Plan for reserved elections. We’re excited to share our new vision, values, and motivation with you all:

Our vision at the Electoral Commission is a fair democracy fit for the future. This is what we strive towards in every aspect of our work.

To achieve this, we have four values that guide our decision-making, approach, and our interactions with partners, stakeholders, and voters.

Including everyone

We are committed to removing barriers in the electoral system, and lead by example. We put voters first and aim to be accessible to all.

Expert impact

We’re independent and politically impartial, using data to advise, inform, and drive progress. We provide clear insight that supports decision-making.

Open and engaging

We instil trust through our clear communication and our approachable and passionate people. Responsible, proportionate and fair, our words are backed by action.

Connected in ambition

We are a team player, supporting and working with others to deliver the best for voters and candidates. We are proactive and constructive with those we regulate.

Underpinning all of this is our motivation: for the voter. Voters are at the heart of our democracy and central to our work. Everything we do is to help people trust, value, and take part in elections.

We want to thank everyone who took part in the process. Your contributions were enormously helpful and have shaped how we will work moving forward.    

A separate Corporate Plan for devolved Welsh elections will be published after the 2026 Senedd elections.